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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23527846">Stardust</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingReader/pseuds/SleepingReader'>SleepingReader</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stardust (2007), The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, And I'm talking pride and prejudice 2005 slow burn where you just maaay get a kiss at the end., Background Relationships, Focus on Friendship, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Inspired by Stardust, Slow Burn, no beta we die like the entirety of Blaviken</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:09:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23527846</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingReader/pseuds/SleepingReader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A philosopher once asked:<br/>'Are we human because we gaze at the stars? Or do we gaze at the stars because we are human?'<br/>A pointless question, really.<br/>'Do the stars gaze back?'<br/>Now there's a question. </p>
<p>Cast out by an errant spell, a star falls down to Earth. Several people set out to find it: A bard, a wizard, a witcher and a witch.<br/>All have their own idea of what to do with a fallen star.<br/>The fallen star herself just really wants to go back home, thanks.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon &amp; Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon &amp; Jaskier | Dandelion, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon &amp; Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia &amp; Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia &amp; Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion &amp; Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. In which a star falls and we meet the main cast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A philosopher once asked:<br/>
'Are we human because we gaze at the stars? Or do we gaze at the stars because we are human?'<br/>
A pointless question, really.<br/>
'Do the stars gaze back?'<br/>
Now there's a question.</p>
<p><br/>
Our story begins here, in the university district at Oxenburg. A letter came in for the astronomy professors. A letter containing that very strange question. The scientist who read it thought it might be a practical joke of some kind. But he duly wrote back, saying such matters should really be asked the astrology professors, and that the whole thing was nonsense anyway.<br/>
He posted it to the boy who lived in a village called Wall. So named, the boy had said, for the wall who ran at the edges of the border. A wall which, local folklore believed, held an extraordinary secret. The boy read the letter under the covers of his bed, trying very hard not to set his sheets on fire with the lantern he had brought.<br/>
Years passed, and the boy turned into a man. It happens sometimes. The man was believed to be a rather foolish one, who kept humming tunes and gazing up at the stars. The man himself believed it so much he set off to Oxenfurt, but not to the Astronomers University he had written to as a child. Not to the Surgeon's University his parents would like him to go so badly.No, Julien Alfred Pankraz went to bardic college.<br/>
And his parents went to the local notary to disown him.<br/>
<br/>
But this is not the story of how the man became a bard. This is the story of how a bard found a family.<br/>
And a very special one at that.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
'Let me get this straight.' the old man said, leaning on his walking stick at the edge of the field next to the wall. 'You realise that I've been tasked with guarding the portal to another world. And you're asking me. To Just. Let you through?'<br/>
'Yes.' his companion said. 'Because, let's be honest. it's a field. I don't see anything weird or non-human. No kikimoras or strigas or whatever the townsfolk say. You wanna know why? Because it's a field!'<br/>
'Hundreds of years this wall has stood here and hundreds of years it's been guarded.'<br/>
'Bu-'<br/>
'One more word, and I'll tell your parents.'<br/>
'Not my parents anymore.' the man grumbled. He turned around and started back to the village, hoisting his lute case on his back.<br/>
'So sorry, Julian. Good luck with the song.' The man said, patting the other on the back.<br/>
'It's Jaskier now.' the man threw offhandedly over his shoulder.<br/>
Jaskier had not walked ten paces before he turned around and bolted back to the Wall. He was almost over the small passageway when there was a resounding <em>CLUNK</em> where his skull met the old man's walking stick. Jaskier collapsed immediately. Two of his fellow classmen, who had been travelling with him, hoisted him up under his elbows and dragged him back to the inn.<br/>
'When are you gonna stop trying, Jaskier?' the male classmate asked, exasperated.<br/>
'Fuck you, Valdo Marx.' Came the dizzy reply.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>If the stars had been watching that night, they might have laughed at Jaskier's 7th attempt of crossing the Wall. Instead, they were quite differently occupied.<br/>
On the other side of the Wall, the wizard Stregobor was working on a new spell. A spell that might slaughter an entire kingdom from the safety of one's own.<br/>
He muttered an incantation and formed his fingers into the somatic shapes required. Nothing happened.<br/>
He poured some sulphur over his fingers. Tried again. Nothing.<br/>
He sighed. The wind from his breath rustled over his fingers. Nothing happened. Then, the nothing exploded.<br/>
From the high wizard's tower, a flash of green light streaked towards the heavens.<br/>
It was deathly silent for a while.<br/>
<br/>
Then, in a rage of white and sparks and streaks of light, a star started to fall down from the Heavens. She tried to cling to her sisters, but to no avail. She was grapped out of orbit and pulled down towards Earth. Her scream could be heard through the entire land.<br/>
Several things happened then:</p>
<p>The wizard Stregobor smiled. He snapped his fingers and the illusion of the beautiful maidens in his tower disappeared.<br/>
Instead, he walked over an old wooden box. One that held a glittering knife.<br/>
One that might cut out the heart of a star.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>Three bards in a field on the townside of the wall were getting incredibly drunk. They saw the falling star fall right over the other side of the Wall.<br/>
'Pretty.' One remarked.<br/>
'Catch it, make for a good song' the other said.<br/>
'Dare you.' A third said.<br/>
The second hummed. 'c'n't get pass the guard, now canni?' he slurred, standing up and pointing vaguely at the guard in the distance.<br/>
'Tried climbing the wall yet?' the first one offered, trying to focus on the standing man.<br/>
'Yee.. Wait, diddi?' the second one said. He looked at the Wall. Didn't seem that high.<br/>
'Boost you?' The third one said, clambering up and only staggering a little.<br/>
'Fuck you, Valdo Marx!' the second bard exclaimed happily, waving his glass around and sloshing wine everywhere. It seemed a standard response for him.<br/>
'Dare you.' Valdo Marx said, standing next to the wall and folding his hands to make a boost.<br/>
'If you find it and make a song about it, I'll tell the bard's council that you're the best bard.'<br/>
'And if I lose?'<br/>
'Then you'll tell the council <em>I'm</em> the best bard.'<br/>
Jaskier blinked. Giggled. Picked up his lute, raised his very fancy wine glass and chugged what was left.<br/>
'Sounds like a deal. Less go'<br/>
<br/>
Yennifer of Vengerberg downed another potion in the hope of rekindling some of that uterus magic. She made a face. From the window in her small cottage, she could see the star fall.<br/>
Now<em> there's</em> an idea.<br/>
<br/>
A white-haired man called Geralt looked in the river after filling his water-skin and saw the reflection of the falling star. He looked up, dropping the reins of his horse.<br/>
'Fuck' he said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. In which Jaskier and Geralt meet and a deal is made</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The star landed with a crash that shook the earth and startled the birds in the trees. A selkiemore in the area keened with the sudden burst of light and sank deeper into the swamp. A nearby squirrel was blinded. <br/>When the light dimmed, the enormous crater was visible. And laying within it, in a pool of shimmering light, was a girl. Onlookers might have taken her for a child, not far over 12 years old. Her hair was so blonde it was nearly white, and her gigantic green eyes tried desperately to focus on the surroundings. <br/>'Ow.' said the star, whose name was Cirilla. 'Ow. Owowowow...'<br/>And then 'Fuck.'<br/>She giggled just a little bit to herself. 'Fuck!' she said again, with some conviction. <br/>She tried to stand up, tried to get used to gravity, but her right ankle refused. She collapsed into the crater again, her silvery dress and cloak cascading around her in a glittering pool of star-fabric. <br/>She looked up at her place in the sky and wiped away a tear. <br/>Her sisters looked on, unable to do anything. The errant spell had them so shaken that they'd have to wait until the following night to contact their fallen sibling. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jaskier was lost, but in a sort of cheerful ambling kind. He figured you could only be really lost if you knew where you wanted to go and didn't know where you were. He was lost in the sense that he didn't know where he was and also he had no idea where he had to go. <br/>He was also rather drunk. <br/>So he strummed his lute absent-mindedly, walking through the forest in search of a great big something that might, eventually, lead him to a star. <br/>It didn't lead him to a star, but it did lead him to a town, which promised to host a market the next day. Jaksier figured that he might as well stay the night at the inn, hoping the patrons might be interested in some songs from beyond the Wall. <br/>Turns out they were, and Jaskier earned his stay at the inn for the night. It was a decent enough room with a nice straw bed. He put what little he had brought on the bed and went downstairs to entertain the guests. Luckily, his fingers were so used to playing his lute that there was no chance of him faltering in his songs. </p>
<p>The night went well for Jaskier, even earning him some extra coin to buy him some sort of souvenir or trinket at the market tomorrow. <br/>Out of all the patrons, only one didn't comment on Jaskier's performance. <br/>Part of Jaskier was mildly intimidated. The man in question was <em>huge</em>, and seemed intent on his pint of cheap, greasy ale. </p>
<p>If the bard had a better eye for that sort of things (and he would have if he hadn't been drinking fine elven wine the whole night) he might have noticed the man was a little on edge. The man hid it well, but there was a tension in his upper legs that betrayed the desire to get on with his journey. <br/>But Jaskier didn't notice, because the other part was <em>incredibly</em> interested in this white haired guy. But not as interested as in the stars he was currently researching. <br/>He had been improvising litle ditties for the patrons in return for some coin or some information. <br/>'Say, my good sir, you wouldn't know what a star looks like, do you?'<br/>'My dear lady, I'm composing a song about stars, is there anything you can tell me about them?'<br/>The responses he got were varied to say the least.<br/>'Stars are flawless.'<br/>'I hear they can have anyone they want in the whole wide world' <br/>'I hear you can sell their hair for 10.000 orens.'<br/>'they're pretty. Or ugly. I always forget. Hey Peter! Which one is ugly?'<br/>'Your mom's ugly!'<br/>'I hear Queen Calanthe herself has one at court'<br/>'They're terrifying and you should stay the fuck away from them. You hear me, boy?' <br/>'They can be used for a lot of magic stuff, but there hasn't one been seen for 80 years.' (wow, actually helpful, Jaskier thought) <br/>'If you eat their heart, it will make you young forever' This one was said in a sort of sighing, longing voice that Jaskier wanted to be away from as soon as possible. </p>
<p>Geralt of Rivia was sat in an inn near the road to the Wall, waiting for the morning. Nursing a bad pint of beer, he paid little attention to the prancing bard and his questions, instead mentally cointing his coin and vaguely wondering if it would be enough.<br/>'I love the way you just sit in a corner and brood.' a voice broke Geralt out of his reverie. <br/>'I'm here to drink alone.' he said, not even looking at the bard who had interrupted his thought. <br/>'Good, yeah, good. So, everyone else's got their own little song now, except...  for you.'<br/>Geralt looked at the bard in evident boredom. <br/>'Come ooonn...' the bard tried to entice. 'A song for a story. About stars, perhaps?'<br/>'I know nothing about stars.' Geralt said, in a quick tone that accidentally made it very clear that he did. <br/>'Cheers, mate. Me neither.' Jaskier said. He vaguely raised his tankard in Geralts direction and went to bed. </p>
<p>In a further place of the world, a wizard sent out some soldiers to find a star. </p>
<p>The next day came quick, as if it was in a hurry to be over with. And it might have been, for the sun also missed her fallen sister. <br/>Jaskier woke in a blanket of sunlight and a cushion of cotton in his brain. <br/>'Uuurrgghh.' he groaned, as a way to greet the day. After attempting to shove both legs into a single trouser leg, he stumbled downstairs. The innkeeper, wincing in sympathy, gave him a large greasy breakfast and a drink that Jaskier could swear made steam pour from his ears. <br/>Whatever it did, it cured his hangover. <br/>The sounds of the market outside were already creeping through the cracks in the doors and windows, filling the patrons ears with calls of delicacies and gifts from far away. <br/>Jaskier packed up and went to go outside, thanking the innkeeper for his hospitality.<br/>'If you're still around tonight, feel free to stop by. I'll keep the room open for ya 'til eight.' the innkeeper told the bard. </p>
<p>The market was like anything Jaskier had ever seen. Spices lined a stall, smelling of old repressed memories, of loves long lost and of fortunes to tell. <br/>Creatures sat in too-small cages. Jaskier had never seen a giraffe in real life, but could be quite sure the aquatic creature swimming in its little aquarium was a water-bound one. <br/>Rows and rows of jars were on another stall, one containing human-like eyes that followed Jaskier around and went cross-eyed in an attempt to make him laugh. An old soldier stopped by the stall and picked out a very fetching red-irised one to stick in his empty eye socket. <br/>Jaskier was checking out a stall that looked like some sort of leather weaponry that he was rather intrigued by. That is, until the shopkeeper turned to him and the man wore a collar around his neck and a dog's mask with a too-realistic wet nose. Jaskier stammered profusely and stepped away, to the hilarity of the shopkeeper who let out a bark of laughter. <br/>A table was set out with glass flowers, so delicate that Jaskier could have sworn they were real ones. He asked, but the shopkeeper didn't have dandelions. In fact, the old woman seemed insulted at the very prospect of having dandelions at her stall. <br/>In the stall across from her, a blind woman with a cane was trading coins for coins. As Jaskier had some Oxenfurt coins on his person, he was able to make a pretty good deal. It wasn't a lot, but it would take care of some rations and some new strings for his lute at least. </p>
<p>Jaskier found that the more he was here, the more he felt at ease. Even if some of these people looked strange and selled even stranger things, he knew how to talk to them. How to trade with them. And how to make pretty maids and fair fellows blush with a wink. <br/>All in all, Jaskier felt at home. </p>
<p>A large man blocked the way to the next stall, which seemed to be selling interesting candles. Jaskier vaguely remembered the man from the previous night. He had an inkling as to whom he might be, but couldn't be sure. <br/>Jaskier was almost as tall as the man, but the man seemed to be intent on blocking the bard's view, so Jaskier decided to wait patiently. And to whistle the most earworm-y song that he knew. </p>
<p>The man himself, who the reader will recognise as Geralt of Rivia, was trying to barter with the shopkeeper for something called a 'Babylon Candle.' Unfortunately, Geralt lost the barter. The man simply asked for a higher price than the one Geralt was able to bring up. <br/>Even a reluctant and mumbled 'Please, it's important.' fell on deaf ears. <br/>The Witcher scowled at the merchant again and strode away, mentally amusing himself by imagining the man being attacked by an angry ox. </p>
<p>The large man out of the way, Jaskier approached the stall. <br/>'Sorry, who was that?' he asked the shopkeeper. <br/>'Bloody Witchers.' the shopkeeper answered. 'Heard this one killed an entire town once.'<br/>That confirmed Jaskier's suspicions. The white haired Witcher. The one that was famous even on his side of the Wall. <em>'Lead the danger to the Wall and the Witcher will get it'</em> it was said. Or sometimes, to naughty children (Jaskier included) '<em>Set one foot across that there wall and the Witcher will come and take you away!</em>'<br/>Jaskier had always liked that sort of story. <br/>'What did he want to buy?' he asked the shopkeeper.<br/>The man showed him a black candle. <br/>Jaskier inspected in and then turned questioning eyes on the shopkeeper. <br/>'Not from around these parts, are ya? 'S called a Babylon candle, or a travel candle. Light it, and it'll get you to your destination quicker than a witch's portal. What a Witcher could want it for is beyond me, but he seemed almost desperate.' <br/>'How much?' Jaskier asked. <br/>The shopkeeper mentioned a price that, as if by destiny, was exactly the amount of money Jaskier had earned the previous night. <br/>He counted out the foreign coins and was a candle richer. </p>
<p>The last things Jaskier bought were, as intended, a travel pack with rations for the road and some new strings for his lute. The ones he had on were worn, and these new strings seemed to have a very interesting sort of vibrato to them. <br/>'Careful playing these in the forest, little bard.' the creepy person at the stall told him. 'Or the forest might keep you...'<br/>He went back to the inn. <br/>Or rather, to the stables. </p>
<p>Geralt was brushing his horse, Roach, down and murmuring to the mare. <br/>'I forgot to introduce myself last night.' a voice came from behind him. <br/>Geralt sighed. <br/>'Name's Jaskier.' <br/>'Hm.'<br/>'Oh, this is fun. White hair, two very scary looking swords, a story that reaches from beyond the Wall, and someone that keeps looking North to where a star fell last night... you're the Witcher: Geralt of Rivia.' <br/>'Hm.' <br/>'Well, Geralt, a little birdie told me that you're in the market for a babbling candle.'<br/>'A what?'<br/>Jaskier held up the candle. Geralt started to reach for it. Jaskier pulled it back. <br/>'Ah ah ah!' he tutted. 'Not for nothing.'<br/>'Fuck.' Geralt said and started reaching for his coin purse. <br/>'No, no, no,' Jaskier said, teasing. Geralt glared at him. Then he drew his sword partway out of its sheath. <br/>'Get to the point.'<br/>'Wherever you're going, and I have a pretty good idea of where that is, I want to come along.' <br/>'No.'<br/>'Well, then I'll go alone.'<br/>'No.'<br/>Jaskier sighed. 'Look. Something brought us both here, Geralt of Rivia. Call it what you will. Fate. Destiny.' <br/>'My horse.'<br/>'And here I am, offering you a free ticket to the place you want to go.'<br/>'Why not go alone?'<br/>'Because that makes for a lousy song. A bard singing about himself? Please. But a Witcher, coming to the rescue of... you know. Now <em> that's</em> a story. So there's my deal, Geralt of Rivia. Take it or leave it, I'm the fastest way to travel.' <br/>Jaskier held out his hand.<br/>Geralt stared at it. <br/>'Fuck.'  He said. <br/>Then he shook it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading!<br/>If you liked it, toss a comment to your author!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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